William D. Ford Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program
A student's need is not a factor in determining eligibility for an Unsubsidized Loan. That is, students may qualify for an Unsubsidized Loan regardless of their own or their families' incomes.
The Unsubsidized Direct Ford Loan requires the borrower to be responsible for the interest that accrues each month, even while the borrower is in school. Interest is charged beginning the day the loan is paid to you until the day the loan is repaid in full. These charges will NOT be paid by the Federal Government. The interest rate on Unsubsidized Direct Loans is fixed at 6.8%. A statement of accrued interest will be sent to you around in January and again in July.
You must accept the loan in Self Service before we can process the funds for you. First time borrowers are also required to sign a master promissory note and complete a Loan Entrance Counseling on the web before loan funds may be disbursed. The master promissory note is available on the Federal Student Aid website at http://studentloans.gov . Loan Entrance Counseling can be found at http://www.uwec.edu/finaid/entrance_counseling .
You may pay the accumulating interest while you are in school or you have the option of capitalizing the interest. Capitalizing interest means adding unpaid, accumulated interest to the principal balance of the loan. Capitalization increases the total cost of your loan...if you choose to let your interest be capitalized, you will repay more money in total than if you pay the interest while you are in school. Whichever option you choose, you are responsible for paying the full amount of all interest on the Unsubsidized Loan.
(You may not be eligible for these maximum amounts)
| Undergraduate | Dependent Student | Independent Student |
|---|---|---|
| Sub + Unsub | Sub + Unsub = Total Amount | - |
| Freshman Status | $5500 | $3500 + $6000 = $9500 |
| Sophomore Status | $6500 | $4500 + $6000 = $10500 |
| Junior Status and Remaining | $7500 | $5500 + $7000 = $12,500 |
| Maximum Cumulative Amounts | $31,000 | Sub + Unsub = $57,500 |
| Graduate or Professional Student | $20,500 | |
| Maximum Cumulative Amount: Undergraduate and Graduate |
Sub + Unsub = $138,500 | |
A 1.051 % origination fee is charged by the federal government on these loans. Consequently, the fee on a $5,500 loan will be $57.80, the amount you would recieve would be $5,442.20.
The Department of Education's Direct Loan Web Site provides an Interactive Budgeting Worksheet and Calculator that allows you to estimate your financial needs and create a budget for school and living expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Direct Loan Program
